Canada’s future depends on good jobs

On Labour Day, the Canadian Labour Congress calls for
family-friendly wages while listing what it doesn’t like

By Ken Georgetti

09/26/2005|Canadian HR Reporter|Last Updated: 09/26/2005

Canada’s future depends on good jobs that pay good wages. Good jobs provide people with the means to provide for their families, to put down roots, plan and build a better future. They allow workers to exercise their citizenship in full, with time to contribute to their communities and build a better society. Good jobs, with family-supporting wages, are the foundation upon which prosperous and progressive countries like Canada are built.

Canada’s best years came when people had jobs they could count on. Those were the times when we grew as a country. Those were the times when we built schools, colleges and universities, expanded our public infrastructure and invested in services for the public good. These investments have continued to pay out in social and economic benefits for generations.

So, where are the investments that will lift the next generation? We don’t see them. Every day we are told things are getting better. Job creation is up. Unemployment is down. Yet, youth unemployment remains stuck above 13 per cent. When young workers (age 15 to 24) find jobs, they earn 25 per cent less than their parents did when they were that age. To make matters worse, the incidence of racial harassment at work is on the rise. And young workers of colour, even those who are born, raised and trained in Canada, have more difficulty finding jobs.